Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse
Why it's listed
Rising sixty feet at the northern tip of Little Cumberland Island, this brick lighthouse was completed in 1838 to mark the entrance to St. Andrew Sound. The tower tapers from twenty-two feet across at the base to eleven feet at the top, where the light was kept. It is plain, with small windows and no ornament, and was built to withstand coastal storms. The federal government bought the six-acre site in 1817 and operated the light until 1915. A keeper's cottage and other support buildings once stood nearby; the last was demolished in 1968. In 1858 the keeper guided the slave ship Wanderer through the sound. A private association bought the island in 1961 and finished restoring the tower by 1969, replacing the spiral stair with a replica. It is listed for its architecture, as one of five surviving Georgia lighthouses, and for its role in the state's maritime transportation.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of only five surviving lighthouses in Georgia and a functional, utilitarian design typical of government-built lights. It helped guide ships into St. Andrew Sound and Brunswick harbor from 1838 until 1915. The site may also hold archaeological information, though that criterion was not claimed.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 89001407, listed August 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N end of Little Cumberland Island, St. Marys |
|---|---|
| County | Camden County |
| Listed | August 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001407 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1838-1915 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph Hastings of Boston, builder. |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored by 1969 with a replica spiral stair, steel superstructure and jalousie windows; the keeper's residence and other outbuildings no longer exist. The tower could be relit but there are no plans to do so. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 30.97595, -81.41304 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 89001407.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6649701
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.